Improvement in roofs



C. P. WEAVER. Roofs. NO. 133,508. Patented Nom-26,1872'.

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IMPROVEMENT INv ROFS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 133,508, dated November 26, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OnolvrwnLL P. WEAvER, of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in Felt Roofs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and

v to the letters and gures of reference marked water-tight roof which shall be cheap and durable, and in which the use of gravel is dispensed with.

The objections to the use of gravel are various, it being costly, difficult to apply, and often unsatisfactory when laid on. It has fre-f quently a tendency to roll and choke up the Water-pipes, parts of the roof become exposed; the felt bulges and soon rots. In passing over a gravel roof, also, which is oftentimes necessary, there is great danger that the weight of the person pressing upon the pebbles will make holes throught the felt. By my improvement these several obj ections are wholly obviated.

In constructing my roof I employ three materials only, wood, felt, and pitch; or, instead of the latter, paint may be used.

The method of construction is as follows: The plain board roof having been constructed in the usual way, I take a piece of felt, b, which I call the wall-piece; this I lay upon the roof, and against the vwall in the manner shown, it having an angle at the junction of the roof and wall. This strip may be of any width necessary to eect the result desired, the object being simply to protect the roof at the beginning of the same. I then take another piece of felt, c, one edge or part ofwhich I lay upon the piece b, as shown; I then take a strip of wood, el, of any desirable width and thickness, which I lay upon that part of the piece of felt c which rests upon b. This strip I press tightly against or toward the wall7 so as to form a close joint, and then I nail it to the roof a, through the pieces of felt b and c. I now turn down upon it the upper part of the felt c, bringing the same down the side of the strip d, and over upon the roof for the distance of a few inches. I then take another piece of felt of the same dimensions as the piece c, and a strip of Wood similar to d, which I apply in the manner already described, and so on until the end of the roof is reached, smearing the top of the felt and the joints e Well with pitch or paint as I proceed.

It is obvious that the size of the felt pieces c or strips d may be varied according to fancy or taste; the strips d may be of varying dimensions, if desirable or convenient, the pieces being made, of course, to conform thereto. I have mentioned felt as the material to be employed, though thick paper or some other equivalent material may be substituted with advantage without departing from the spirit of my invention, and the outer surface of the same may be sanded after the paint or pitch .has been laid on.

A handsome, cheap, and durable roof` may be thus constructed, obviating most if not all of the objections to gravel roofs. It can, in addition, be applied Where a gravel roof would not serve-namely, where the roof is so steep that the stones would inevitably roll off. This roof also is very tight, there being three thicknesses of felt or paper,'so that should a hole be made through the upper layer, two layers will be left beneath to protect against the en'- croachments of the weather.

I have described the roof as being started from the wall, though this by no means is essential to construction. The roofl may run from wall to wall, or from the apex of a roof to the gutter or water-spout, or reversely, the essential method of construction being still preserved. I have also shown the felt pieces as extending the entire width of the strips d on the under side thereof, but this is not absolutely necessary.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Let-ters Patent, is-

The arrangement of the strips b c of roofing' felt, each successive strip forming the base of one roof-strip, d, and the covering of the preceding roof-strip, substantially as specilied.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CROMWELL WEAVER.

Witnesses M. DANI.. CoNNoLLY, CHAs. F. VAN HORN. 

